Pegboard adapter

ABSTRACT

An adapter for selectively mounting to an associated wall of a cabinet has a first wall having a plurality of openings for receiving associated peg hooks. The adapter further has a second wall depending from a first end of the first wall and a third wall extending from the second wall and including an opening for mounting the adapter to the associated wall.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/458,637, filed Mar. 28, 2003, which is incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to an assembly that can be used forsupporting objects on a cabinet wall. More particularly, this inventionis directed to an apparatus that can mount to lances or support memberson a wall of a metal cabinet which are typically used for mountingremovable shelves to the cabinet. A pegboard adapter can mount to thelances so that a cabinet which previously only had shelves can now havethe advantages of having a pegboard for receiving peg hooks.

[0003] Metal cabinets are some of the most versatile pieces of furnitureavailable. Metal cabinets can be hung in work areas, e.g., metal orwoodworking shops, garages, as well as many other places. Metal cabinetscan also provide storage in vehicles such as trucks and vans. Inaddition to the versatility provided by metal cabinets regarding thelocation and placement of the cabinets, metal cabinets also provideversatility in what they store. Metal cabinets have been used to storethreaded rod, wire, brake line, welding rods, as well as more commonitems such as tools and fasteners. To increase a metal cabinet'sversatility, some of the shelves are removable so that larger ordifferent items can be stored in the cabinet. The removable shelves aretypically mounted on lances that are fastened to or punched out of acabinet side wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An adapter which is selectively mountable to an associated wallof a cabinet includes a first wall having a plurality of openings forreceiving associated peg hooks. The adapter further includes a secondwall depending from a first end of the first wall and a third wallextending from the second wall and including an opening for mounting theadapter to the associated wall. The third wall is substantially parallelto the first wall.

[0005] A method for providing a removable peg board in a cabinet havinga plurality of lances on a side wall of the cabinet includes providing apeg board adapter and mounting the peg board adapter to a wall of thecabinet. The peg board adapter includes a first wall having a pluralityof openings for receiving peg hooks, a second wall depending from thefirst wall, and a third wall extending from the second wall such thatthe third wall is at least substantially parallel to the first wall. Thethird wall includes a mounting opening. The peg board is mounted to thecabinet by placing one of the lances through the mounting opening andsupporting a portion of the third wall on the lance.

[0006] Still other aspects of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The invention may take physical form in certain parts andarrangements of parts, one embodiment of which will be described indetail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings that form a part hereof and wherein:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pegboard adapter in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the pegboard adapter of FIG.1;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the pegboard adapter of FIG.1, prior to final metal forming; and

[0011]FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the pegboard adapter ofFIG. 1 mounted to a sidewall of a cabinet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

[0012] Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are forpurposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention onlyand not for purposes of limiting same, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a pegboardadapter 2 which is mountable to a cabinet wall. The pegboard adapter inthe present application is made of a metal, preferably steel; however,the pegboard adapter could also be made of other suitable materials,such as plastic.

[0013] Specifically, the pegboard adapter 2 has a main wall 10 havingfirst and second lateral side walls 12 and 14 which depend from and aresubstantially perpendicular to the main wall. Walls 12 and 14 aresubstantially parallel to each other. The pegboard adapter also includesa first flange 16 extending from and substantially perpendicular to thefirst wall 12. A second flange 18 extends substantially perpendicular toand from the second wall 14. The main wall 10 is spaced from and isparallel to the flanges 16 and 18. Preferably, flanges 16 and 18 arepositioned in the same plane.

[0014] Flanges 16, 18 include openings 30, 32, respectively, forreceiving a lance B (see FIG. 4) mounted to or punched out of a cabinetwall. Openings 30, 32 are used to mount the pegboard adapter 2 to thecabinet. Openings 32 can be formed as slots which can be slid overlances adjacent a bottom wall of the cabinet. The slots assist inplacement of the adapter over lances adjacent a bottom wall of thecabinet and allow the lower edge of flange 18 to abut or rest againstthe bottom wall of the cabinet. The specific number and placement ofopenings 30 or slots 32 is dependent upon the spacing and number oflances in the side wall of the cabinet.

[0015] Main wall 10 includes a plurality of openings 36 adapted toreceive hooks or hangers. The size and shape of the openings 36 are suchthat the openings can receive standard pegs, hooks or hangers that canfit into a conventional pegboard. Furthermore, the amount of openings aswell as the number of columns or rows can be determined to meet theneeds of the user of the cabinet according to the number and types ofitems that will be hung from the peg board adapter. Referring to FIG. 1,the openings are shown to be equally spaced apart; however, the openingsmay also be spaced unequally along the wall without departing from thescope of the present invention. The lateral side walls 12 and 14 providethe spacing between the cabinet wall A and the main wall 10. The lateralside walls 12 and 14 are shown as perpendicular to the main wall 10;however, the side walls 12 and 14 can be at any angle so long asadequate space is provided between the main wall 10 and the cabinet rearA.

[0016] As best seen in FIG. 4, the pegboard adapter 2 mounts on acabinet wall A such that lances B protrude through openings 30 and slots32. The main wall 10 is adequately spaced from the cabinet wall A sothat a hook or hanger C can protrude through one of the hook openings 36and mount to the pegboard adapter 2 without contacting the cabinet rearwall A.

[0017] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the pegboard adapter 2 can bemanufactured and formed from a single sheet of metal. The metal can beformed so that openings 30 and slots 32 are punched or otherwise formedin the adapter. In the preferred embodiment, the holes 30 and the slots32 are proximal the ends of the adapter. Holes 36 are formed along acentral longitudinal axis 40 of the adapter 2. Walls 12 and 14 may beformed by punching or pressing a metal blank such that the walls 12, 14are substantially perpendicular to wall 10. The walls are used toposition the main wall 10 to be adequately spaced from the cabinet wallA to allow a peghook to protrude through the adapter without contactingthe cabinet wall.

[0018] The invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur toothers upon a reading and understanding of this specification. Forexample, the openings 36 need not be aligned along a centrallongitudinal axis, they could be oriented in various positions on themain wall 10. Also, the slots 32 may not be formed in the flange 18,especially if the flange 18 will rest on a shelf in the cabinet. Thisspecification is intended to include all such obvious modifications andalterations.

1. An adapter for selectively mounting to an associated wall of acabinet, comprising: a first wall having at least one opening forreceiving an associated peg hook; a second wall depending from a firstend of the first wall; and a third wall extending from the second walland including an opening for mounting the adapter to the associatedwall, wherein the third wall is substantially parallel to the firstwall.
 2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the second wall dependssubstantially normal from the first wall.
 3. The adapter of claim 2,further comprising a fourth wall depending from a second end of thefirst wall opposite said first end of said first wall substantiallyparallel to the second wall.
 4. The adapter of claim 3, wherein thefourth wall depends substantially normal from the first wall.
 5. Theadapter of claim 4, further comprising a fifth wall extending from thefourth wall, wherein the fifth wall is substantially parallel to thefirst wall.
 6. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the fifth wall comprisesa notch for mounting the adapter to the associated wall.
 7. The adapterof claim 6, wherein a longitudinal axis of the notch is aligned with alongitudinal axis of the opening in the third wall.
 8. The adapter ofclaim 7, wherein the opening in the third wall includes a linear edge.9. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said adapter is formed from a singlepiece of metal.
 10. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising adepression around each of the openings in the first wall.
 11. Theadapter of claim 1, wherein said openings in said first wall are equallyspaced apart and parallel to each other.
 12. A method for providing aremovable pegboard in a cabinet having a plurality of lances on a sidewall of the cabinet, the method comprising: providing a peg boardadapter, wherein the peg board adapter includes a first wall having aplurality of openings for receiving peg hooks, a second wall dependingfrom the first wall, and a third wall extending from the second wallsuch that the third wall is at least substantially parallel to the firstwall, wherein the third wall includes a mounting opening; mounting thepeg board adapter to a wall of the cabinet by placing one of said lancesthrough the mounting opening and supporting a portion of the third wallon said one of said lances.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stepof providing a peg board adapter further includes providing a peg boardadapter comprising a fourth wall spaced from the second wall anddepending from the first wall and a fifth wall extending from the fourthwall, wherein the fifth wall is at least substantially in the same planeas the first mounting wall.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stepof providing a peg board adapter further includes providing a peg boardadapter wherein the fifth wall includes a notch formed in a lower edgeof said wall, wherein the notch is aligned with the mounting opening inthe third wall.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of mountingsaid adapter further comprises placing one of said lances into the notchsuch that a portion of the first wall is supported by said one of saidlances.